


{ S w i f t } - A Warrior Cats story

by sunnyfern



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fan Characters, Fan Clans, Gay Cats, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Multi, Swiftheart is the main character btw, Warrior Cats is still cool right, if you like... couldn’t tell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-05 05:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15857079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyfern/pseuds/sunnyfern
Summary: Swiftpaw's life is seemingly perfect. He has loving friends, a mother and a father, and strong clanmates.What more could a cat ask for?But, what Swiftpaw doesn't know, is that a big storm is coming. He will be forced into something he doesn't even fully understand. There will be an all out war, and everyone must prepare themselves for the worst.





	1. Allegiances

**Author's Note:**

> Aaa welcome !!! I hope you all enjoy this series because I pour a lot of my love into it <3\. I’ve become really connected to these characters over the many years I’ve had them, and I finally have a sorta solid storyline. I hope I finish this! I’ll try my best !!

LightningClan

Leader:  
Shadowstar- Long-haired dark gray tom with green eyes

Deputy:  
Duskfall-Gray and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Medicine Cat:  
Riverlilly- brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice- Nettlepaw)

Warriors:  
Dustclaw- Sandy-brown tom with yellow eyes (Apprentice-Shrewpaw)  
   
Redbird- Ginger tom with green eyes. (Foster father of Smokepaw and Mousepaw)

Crowtail-  Short-haired black tom with fluffy tail and yellow eyes (Foster father of Smokepaw and Mousepaw)  
(Apprentice- Icepaw)  
Cherryfleck- Fluffy tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice- Swiftpaw)

Ravenwing- Black tom with tiny white patch on chest. Green eyes (Apprentice- Heatherpaw)  
Shadepelt- Black tom with yellow eyes.

Firefur- Orange tabby and white tom with green eyes

Rockshade- Gray tom with amber eyes (Father of Fallenpaw)

Goosewing- Gray tabby and white she-cat with blue eyes (Mother of Fallenpaw)

Moon- Brown tabby tom with green eyes. Former rouge. (Father of Icepaw and Heatherpaw)

Frostpelt- white she-cat with blue eyes (Mother of Icepaw and Heatherpaw)

Mapleclaw- Orange tabby tom with yellow eyes. (Father of Firefur and Redbird)  
Emberstrike- orange tabby and white she-cat with green eyes (Mother of Firefur)

Hazelleaf- gray and white she-cat with blue eyes  
Cloveclaw- gray tabby tom with amber eyes (Apprentice- Fallenpaw)

Hoottail- brown she-cat with wide amber eyes (Apprentice- Smokepaw)  
Brambletail- brown tom with amber eyes (Apprentice-Mousepaw)

Dappledcrow- Black she-cat with small white spots around her body. Green eyes. (Mother of Swift, Shrew, and Nettle)  
Stormheart- black and white tom with green eyes. (Father of Swift, Shrew, and Nettle)

Apprentices:

Icepaw- White tom with blue eyes

Heatherpaw- Brown tabby and white she-cat with green eyes

Swiftpaw- Black and white tom with green eyes

Shrewpaw- Black and white tom with yellow eyes

Nettlepaw- Black and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Fallenpaw- gray tabby and white she-cat with green eyes

Smokepaw- black tom with yellow eyes  
Mousepaw- gray and white she cat with yellow eyes

Elders:

Yarrowleaf- fluffy gray she-cat with matted fur. Green eyes. 

Flamescorch- orange tabby tom with yellow eyes (Father of Mapleclaw)

 

 

PineClan

Leader:  
      Finchstar- large gray tabby tom with a paralyzed hind leg (Father of Waspsting and Hollyeyes)

Deputy:  
      Rabbitfoot- sandy brown tabby tom with white white toes and a splash of white on his chest

Medicine Cat:  
     Mossfoot- gray and white tom with striking yellow eyes. On the same day he was born, he caught his foot in some moss  
       (Apprentice- Sagepaw)

Warriors:  
      Thistletail-white tom with splashes of gray and green eyes  
       Rockheart- gray tom with green eyes  
       Toadclaw- gray tom with yellow eyes. Named for his first catch, which was a toad. 

Petalfur- long hair light brown she-cat with blue eyes  
       Softstep- light brown tom with white paws and tip of tail. Blue eyes. He is very soft spoken. (Apprentice- Lichenpaw)

        Waspsting- dark gray tabby tom with a long, thin tail. (Apprentice- Redpaw)  
         Hollyeyes- Black she-cat with green eyes

         Amberskip- brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. (Apprentice- Haypaw)  
          Hazelslip- brown tabby she-cat with green eyes 

Briarnose- buff tabby tom with white nose (Father of Red, Hay, and Lichen) 

Driftbreeze- Ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes (Mother of Red, Hay, and Lichen)

Apprentices:  
      Redpaw- ginger tabby with green eyes  
Haypaw- buff tabby tom with green eyes  
Lichenpaw- buff tabby she-cat with green eyes  
         Sagepaw-gray tabby tom with green eyes

Elders:  
Fallowleap- gray tom with yellow eyes (Father of Mossfoot, Thistletail, Rockheart, and Toadclaw)

 

 

CloudClan

Leader:  
Sheepstar- Curly-haired white she-cat with amber eyes

Deputy:  
Cedarspring- light gray she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat:  
Sedgebelly- Brown and white tabby tom with green eyes (Apprentice- Jaypaw)

Warriors:  
Molepelt- Black tom with green eyes  
Thistlestorm- Black tom with white paws and tip of tail (Father of Quailwing and Ravenleaf)

Curldapple- curly-haired white she-cat with amber eyes. Soon to be Elder.

Sunpelt- buff tabby tom with amber eyes  
(Apprentice- Russetpaw)  
Wheatgrass- buff tabby she-cat with pale amber eyes  
Yarrowstalk- buff tabby tom with amber eyes

Quailwing- Black and white she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice- Webpaw)  
Ravenleaf- black and white tom with green eyes

Ferretspeck- buff tabby she-cat with amber eyes (Mother of Sunpelt, Yarrowstalk, and Wheatgrass)

Badgerclaw- White she-cat with very sharp claws. Green eyes. (Mother of Quailwing and Ravenleaf)

Honeybranch- brown she-cat with honey colored eyes 

Ashbright- dark gray and white she-cat with pale yellow eyes  
Lichenflower- gray she-cat with yellow eyes (Mother of Russetpaw and Webpaw)

Gorsetail- brown tabby tom with fluffy tail (Father of Russetpaw and Webpaw)

Apprentices:  
Russetpaw- brown tabby tom  
Webpaw- gray she-cat  
Jaypaw- blue gray tom

 

 

LichenClan  
Leader:  
Stonestar- gray tom (Father of Riverpaw and Troutpaw)

Deputy:  
Mistpool- blue gray she-cat

Medicine Cat:  
Mintnose- young gray and white she cat with soft yellow eyes

Warriors:  
Eelsplash- Dark gray tom with striking yellow eyes

Sunnypool- white tom with orange markings (Apprentice- Riverpaw)  
Mossyleaf- calico and white she-cat

Sorreltuft- tortoiseshell she-cat (Apprentice- Troutpaw)  
Shadeleap- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Duskflower- long hair tortoiseshell she-cat (Mother of Sorreltuft and Shadeleap)

Splashtail- black tom with white tail (Father of Sorreltuft and Shadeleap)  
Shellfang- Black tom with blunt teeth 

Ripplestream- silver she-cat (Mother of Riverpaw and Troutpaw)

Reedflight- brown tom (Father of Whitefoot and Mallowberry)

Salmonsplash- gray tabby and white she-cat (Mother of Whitefoot and Mallowberry)

Whitefoot- gray tabby she-cat with one white paw  
Mallowberry- grey tabby she-cat

Apprentices:  
Riverpaw- Silver tabby she-cat  
Troutpaw- Gray tom


	2. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! The prologue of my story!!! I hope you all enjoy ;3

         Wind whispered through a large cave, chilling the tips of a tortoiseshell cat's ears. She flicked them, as if that would free them of the wind's icy grip, but the wind still dug it's cruel claws into her fur. Her tail was curled tightly around her paws, eyes narrowed to slits as she watched the entrance to the stone hollow. 

Her ears pricked at the sound of approaching pawsteps, and she arched her back in a stretch as she rose to her paws. A head illuminated by moonlight poked into the cave, and the tortoiseshell trilled in welcome. A brown tom with long legs strode in, followed by a blue-grey she-cat. The tom sat down across from the tortoiseshell, wrapping his white tipped tail around his paws. 

"It never gets this cold in StarClan," he grumbled, huffing out a puff of frosty air. The blue she-cat rolled her eyes, flopping down next to him. She pressed close to him, trying desperately to gain warmth from him. He bent down and rasped his tongue over her ear, and she purred happily. 

"Yuck, could you be lovey-dovey somewhere else?" The tortoiseshell teased, sticking her tongue out as she raced towards the cave wall. The blue-gray cat flicked her tail in mock annoyance. "He's been my mate for over 3 lifetimes, so no, we are incapable of such things Spottedstar." 

"I wouldn't have you two any other way, though, you know that Moonshine," Spottedstar purred to her friend. The tortoiseshell bunched her muscles and sprang, landing nimbly on a ledge inside the inner wall. She let her white-tipped paws hang over the edge as she looked down at a small pool below her. 

Suddenly, a swirl of milky white and purple color appeared, twisting and mixing about in the water. "Look!" The brown tom gasped, his tail quivering in apprehension. A picture began to form in the waves, and a very large paw became visible. A vision was flashing, the paw with and without a cat pinned by its throat under its claws. The image sent shivers down Spottedstar's spine. Blood stained the gray fur around its toes, and its claws flexed deeper into the flesh of the cat beneath. 

As the picture was broken apart by the waves, she glanced at her friends. Their expressions were that of horrified ones, staring open-mouthed at the murky water. Then, it was over. The waves turned back to their normal silver, dancing in the moonlight. The brown tom broke the antagonizing silence. "What was that?" 

"The Clans are in danger, Thorntail," Spottedstar mewed, tucking her tail closer to her body in fear. She stood up straight, tail lashing behind her. "Something terrible is coming, and we have no power to stop it."


	3. Chapter 1

Regrettably, this was not what a certain black and white apprentice had been expecting to do with his evening. Sure, he was prepared for a hunt, a patrol, or just a stroll through the forest with his friends. He, however, had not been prepared to find himself wading into the shallow portion of the lake. He shouldn't be protecting himself so fully- he had been the one to give into his friends' peer pressure. 

But, as the rock he stepped on lurched out from beneath his feet, and he felt panic rise in his stomach for a moment, he wished he was back on land. He took a deep breath, collecting himself, before speaking; "T-this is mousebrained! We should just get back on shore." 

"Oh, come ooooonnnn, Swiftpaw. Don't be such a wuss," another young tom teased, almost identical to the first. "Besides! You're the one who agreed to it." 

"I know, Shrewpaw, and I hate you all," Swiftpaw replied without heat, rolling his eyes. 

His whiskers twitched as he noticed a pure white apprentice sneaking up quietly behind his brother- and let out a mrrow of laughter when he splashed him with a surf of water. "Icepaw! You piece of foxdung!" Shrewpaw hissed, sending the offending tom off at a trot as he tried to gain vengeance. 

"Nice job, Icepaw!" A new voice called out from somewhere nearby, and Swiftpaw turned to see Heatherpaw, a long-haired brown tabby, smirking at her sibling. Icepaw replied with a salute, stumbling as he attempted to continue running while doing so. "All in a days work!" 

"What's the days work? Splashing me with lake water!?" Shrewpaw demanded, eyes alight with happiness as he continued to tail Icepaw. 

"Yep!"

A thundering yowl echoed through the clearing as a silver tabby launched herself off of a rock, plunging into the water below. A large splash followed her, and Swiftpaw snorted as Heatherpaw was drenched with the force of the wave. The silver tabby skidded on the pebbled bottom, trying to find a purchase. When she managed to catch onto a larger rock, she let out a puff of relief, turning to face the rest with a huge grin. 

"Fallenpaw! I'm soaked!" Heatherpaw's annoyed groan split the air, and Swiftpaw saw the silver she-cat snicker into her paw. "Ohhh, sorry, princess!" Fallenpaw shot back cheekily, eyes glinting playfully. With a fake battle cry, Heatherpaw leaped at the silver apprentice, and for a moment Swiftpaw thought she would tackle her. But, the tabby fell directly in front of Fallenpaw, sending a surge of water cascading down on the other she-cat. 

Fallenpaw retaliated by leaping onto Heatherpaw, and the two she-cats began rolling around in a tussle in the shallow water. Swiftpaw purred in amusement, a surge of fondness enveloping him as he watched his friends. 

He glanced over to the sandy shore, where a black tom and a gray and white she-cat lay, eyes closed as they lazed about in the evening sun. "Hey, Smokepaw, Mousepaw!" He yowled, waving his tail in greeting when they both glanced up at him. "What's up?" Smokepaw called back, slowly heaving himself to his paws. "Why don't you guys come in?" Swiftpaw asked, tipping his head with a sly smirk. Smokepaw exchanged a glance with his sister, and then they both turned back, shaking their heads. 

Swiftpaw rolled his eyes. "Whatever, beebrains." Mousepaw stuck her tongue out at him while Smokepaw huffed in annoyance. 

Swiftpaw glanced up at the descending sun and thanked StarClan that everything seemed perfect as of now. That was until Dustclaw came striding through the bushes surrounding the lake. 

The sandy-brown tom froze when he spotted them, and then his eyes narrowed. Swiftpaw knew exactly what was coming, and from the looks on the other Apprentices' faces, they did too. 

"ARE YOU ALL MOUSE-BRAINED?!" Dustclaw yowled, tail lashing. Swiftpaw's ears pinned back on his head to shroud out the noise. Fallenpaw broke the silence created with a cry. "Scatter!" 

The LightningClan Apprentices ran in all different directions, water streaming from their pelts as they struggled away from what they had dubbed, The Wrath of Dustclaw. 

In the end they all had to return to camp, and Dustclaw shared with them a few choice words. They were punished with different excruciating chores, and Mousepaw and Smokepaw plead not guilty. Those little snakes.


	4. Chapter 2

Hunting was one of Swiftpaw's favorite things to do. It was calming, quiet, and he got a sense of fulfillment each time he brought down a piece of prey. He was doing something for his clanmates- he was feeding them, the Elders, or maybe even the kits. Fighting, on the other paw, was something Swiftpaw was much less overjoyed about. It was painful- obviously- and the adrenaline rush only served him for so long. But, despite his hatred for it, he would fight until his last breath if it meant protecting his clan. Well? That's what any good Warrior would do. 

Well... hunting wasn't quite what he was doing- at the moment. He was watching a blade of grass rustle in the wind, eyes wide and haunches wiggling as he prepared to leap. With a hiss he pounced through the air, unsheathing his claws as he prepared to shred the plant into pieces. But, his plans were promptly ruined as a flash of brown fuzz collided with his side.

His breath was knocked straight out of him as he collided with the hard-packed earth, and he lashed out a paw at his attacker. It was a bit late when he finally realized it was his friend, Heatherpaw, glaring at him in annoyance as he withdrew his paw from her pelt with a sheepish look. "Sorry, Heatherpaw! I thought you were an intruder!" He mewed, raising to his paws and shaking out his pelt. 

The brown tabby just chuckled, whiskers twitching as she looked at him. "It's cool! Honestly, I was expecting it- what was I thinking sneaking up on the best fighter in the cllaaannnn~," she drawled, dragging out the words in a teasing manner. Swiftpaw snickered despite himself, nudging her with his shoulder a bit. "You're a jerk," he purred, playfully cuffing her over the ear.

Ravenwing spotted them as he rounded a holly bush, and soon ruined the fun they were having with just a sentence. "Come on, you two, we better get this prey back to camp. I bet the Elders would appreciate a good meal." Heatherpaw and Swiftpaw shot a glance at each other, both wishing to stay out longer, but obliged anyways. 

They chattered amongst themselves as they gathered up all of their real prey, soon unable to talk with jaws full of squirrels and a blackbird. They trudged back through the forest towards camp, and as they arrived, they flicked their tails in greeting to Mapleclaw, who was currently guarding the camp. The orange tabby's yellow eyes glowed with praise as he took in their bounty. "Nice catch!" He meowed, looking like he wanted to bounce into camp after them and run one of the squirrel's to his mate, Emberstrike. Swiftpaw felt his pelt burn at the words, and he just nodded, a shy smile on his face.

Heatherpaw pushed past him, continuing on into the thorn tunnel. Swiftpaw pricked his ears and remembered what they were supposed to be doing, making his own way into the entrance. Ravenwing stopped behind them to talk with Mapleclaw, the two conversing like old friends. The thorns in the tunnel brushed the tips of Swiftpaw's ears, but they were blunt and soft due to so many pelts brushing them through the years. As he thought this, one particularly sharp one caught his tail. He yelped, and the squirrel he was holding tumbled from his jaws. Heatherpaw turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised. "C-Caught my tail on a bramble," he hissed in pain, reaching down to tug it free with his teeth. It came off, but not without a bit of a struggle. 

He was disgusted to see that the little spot where the thorn had pricked him was bleeding, and he bent down, lapping over it a few times. As it continued to spill, no matter what he tried, he huffed in annoyance. "I'll just have to go to the Medicine Den," he groaned to himself. He picked up his squirrel once more, and Heatherpaw still seemed slightly worried, her tail twitching. But he waved his tail, and they continued into camp. 

After setting their prey onto the pile, which had grown immensely since this morning, Swiftpaw turned and began to pad towards the medicine den, tail held just off the ground. He had enough sense to know that dirt in a wound was a big no no. He was cut off, though, by a wall of black and white fur. In his startled state, he fell back on his haunches, tail close to touching the ground. He quickly caught himself, raising it higher into the air, green eyes wide. He let out a puff of relief when it never connected with the dusty floor.

Then, he turned on his living blockade. "What the fluff?!" He hissed, ears flattening back as he faced the cat. It turned out it was his sister, Nettlepaw, huffing and puffing as she fought to catch her breath. What had made her run so fast to catch him? 

She seemed to finally deem she was collected enough, taking one more deep breath before turning to him. "Swiftpaw! Are you hurt!?" She asked, yellow eyes wide as she began to race around him, poking his side with her muzzle as she searched. "Yeah- OW- just my tail," he yelped, jolting away from her prodding as she nudged him quite hard in the rib. She had the nerve to look a bit sheepish. "Oh, yes! I should've asked you first- I was just so worried you see... I wanted to make sure you weren't badly injured and-"

"Oi! Nettlepaw, its alright!" Swiftpaw soothed, nudging his sister affectionately with his nose. She nodded briefly, but her eyes gave away her conflicting emotions. "Really, its fine," he mewed, seeing her disbelief. "But- it would be better if my tail got patched up..." 

Nettlepaw sprang into Medicine Cat mode, beckoning with her tail for him to follow her into the Medicine Den. As he pushed through the trailing vines that hung from the entrance, the thick, pungent smell of herbs reached him, his nose burning at the stench. He could not understand why his sister would want to spend the rest of her life in here- how did she stand it!?

Inside, Riverlily, the clan Medicine Cat, was mumbling to herself, pushing herbs here and there. As he cleared his throat, though, she didn't turn- she seemed to be too sucked into her work to notice him. Nettlepaw bounded back over to him, a bundle of leaves in her jaws. She stopped in front of him, laying the bundle on the ground, and sniffing at his tail. He watched as her eyes widened, and she spread out the fur more around the wound, gaining better access. 

"That's a pretty big wound to just come from a little thorn," she mewed, voice laced with confusion. "Riverlily!" She yowled, hoping to gain her Mentor's attention. The Medicine Cat's amber eyes snapped to face them, and she raced over, obviously a bit frightened at Nettlepaw's raised voice. "What is it?" She asked, voice soothing and honey-like despite her obvious nerves. Her voice helped calm his own a bit, and he shuffled his paws, watching as the two cats examined his tail. 

"This is an unusually large wound for a thorn, isn't it?" Nettlepaw asked her mentor, tail twitching in worry. "It is... this is quite odd," Riverlily mewed, head tipped in thought. Nettlepaw watched her mentor, waiting for instructions. "Well, clean it up anyway. I will go and talk to Shadowstar about having a few cats to clear out the thorns," the brown tabby announced, pushing herself to her paws and leaving the den. 

Nettlepaw watched where the vines still quivered for a moment, before turning back to her brother and instructing him to lick his wound. Meanwhile she chewed up a few yellow petals stemming from an equally brightly colored flower, and began to press the chewed up poultice onto his wound. She then unwound some cobweb from her front paw, placing it on the wound to bandage it up, and to halt the bleeding. 

As she stood up, he waved his tail, watching with satisfaction as the cobweb did not shift a bit. "Hey! Thanks Nettlepaw! You're getting great at this medicine stuff!" He praised, watching his sister shuffle her paws in embarrassment at his words. "Thanks, Swiftpaw! But it's not that good..." she trailed off, lapping at her chest fur self-consciously. 

"Whatever. You're going to be a great Medicine Cat," he purred, nudging her with his nose. She turned to him, a bright grin on her own face. At that moment Swiftpaw's mother, Dappledcrow, pushed her way through the trailing brambles into the Medicine Den. "Swiftpaw!" She called, quickly rushing over to him when she made eye contact. "Are you alright?! Heatherpaw told me you were injured!" 

Swiftpaw rolled his eyes fondly at his mother's worrying. "Just a little thorn," he meowed, lifting his tail to show her. Dappledcrow deflated, the tension clearly leaving her bones. "Oh, thank, StarClan, all of the worst things were racing through my mind." 

She leaned down, drawing a tongue between his ears, and then nudging him affectionately. "You be careful next time, okay?" She pleaded, tail swishing behind her. "Promise," Swiftpaw agreed, purring. Dappledcrow turned to Nettlepaw, eyes shining with pride for her daughter. "Good job, Nettlepaw! You're becoming such a good Medicine Cat!" She purred, coddling her daughter who became bashful under her mother's gaze.


	5. Chapter 3

It had been a Moon since the thorn incident, and all had been quiet. There had been no battles and no shortages of prey- which was show of how wonderful life in the Clans could be. Greenleaf was soon to leave, though, and anycat could tell by the new chill that gripped each morning. Dew sparkled on the ferns and undergrowth, and cats chattered about on patrols. Life went on as normal. 

Swiftpaw was lounging about by the Apprentice's Den on a warm evening, eyes fluttering closed every so often as he began to doze. It had been a long day- he had been on the Dawn Patrol, along with his mentor, Cherryfleck, and his brother, Shrewpaw. Then he had been sent on a hunting patrol nearly the moment he had returned to camp. His mentor had brushed a sympathetic tail-tip over his shoulders, and he sighed but went along without a fight.

He had caught a robin and a mouse, a good catch considering animals were still only beginning to awaken. Nothing too eventful happened, but Brambletail, a young Warrior, had tried to keep him company. It was greatly appreciated, but the tom was a bit of a rambler. It seemed that his mouth could move a million miles per minute- even when it was full of a squirrel carcass. Let it be known that it was safe to say that Swiftpaw was happy when they split apart in camp.

His eyes flew open at the sound of approaching pawsteps, and he recognized the familiar pelt of his mentor once more. He chirruped in greeting, blinking his eyes to clear them and slowly rising to his paws. "Hey, Swiftpaw! I know you're tired but I'm sure this'll wake you- you're coming to the Gathering!" Cherryfleck meowed, letting out an affectionate purr as her apprentice clearly brightened up at that. 

"Wow! Who else is going? Is Shrewpaw?" Swiftpaw asked with a tip of his head, paws kneading excitedly at the ground as he wished to just bound towards the island already. "Yes, and so are Fallenpaw, Heatherpaw and Icepaw- it's a pity it's their first gathering- they are to become Warriors soon," Cherryfleck meowed, trailing off on the last words, which were meant more for herself. But Swiftpaw was hardly listening, he felt a rush of excitement as he realized all of his friends were going as well, and that he wouldn't be alone.

He mewed his thanks to his mentor, before racing off in search of his brother. His search lead him out into the forest, where Shrewpaw and Icepaw had gone out for a walk. He found them in a tree- well, they found him. He was alerted by their yowls of his name, and when he looked up, they were grinning down at him from the lowest branch of a tall Birch. "What're you doing up there, Mousebrains!?" He hissed back, standing up on his hind legs to get a closer look at them. 

They both broke out into snickers, and Swiftpaw noted that their tails were curled together. "We're not coming down!" His brother, Shrewpaw, yowled back, yellow eyes gleaming with mischief. Swiftpaw rolled his eyes, flicking his tail with mock annoyance. He stepped down, taking a seat on one of the roots and checking his claws nonchalantly. "Guess you'll miss the Gathering, then," he muttered, feigning indifference. He watched with satisfaction as the two toms looked down at him in shock. 

Then, they were in action, both springing up and attempting to race down the tree at a fast pace. Icepaw managed it with little difficulty, but Shrewpaw's eyes were wide as he slowly made his way down. Icepaw mewed words of encouragement to him, until finally Shrewpaw's paws touched the forest floor. The white tom drew a quick lick around Shrewpaw's ears in a comforting manner, seeming a tad worried. Shrewpaw let out a shaky breath, but then a wide, sparkling smile stretched across his face. "Let's do that again!"

Swiftpaw yowled out a "no!" And couldn't help but laugh along with his friend and brother as they broke out into giggles.   
———————————————————————-  
Shadowstar had gathered the cats who were to attend the Gathering around him, murmuring something to the deputy, Duskfall, as the cats grouped together. 

Swiftpaw sat between Heatherpaw and Icepaw, while Shrewpaw And Fallenpaw chattered about something that had happened in training today. Ravenwing stood to the right of Heatherpaw, speaking to her about her Warriors assessment, which was bound to happen any day now. Swiftpaw could feel the excitement and anticipation sparking from his friend in waves.

Cherryfleck stood with Crowtail, and they were talking in low murmurs to each other, laughing about something every so often. Swiftpaw remembered that they were siblings, and wondered how many moments they had shared in their lifetime, and hoped he would be as close to his brother as they were when he and Shrewpaw both became Warriors. 

Swiftpaw watched with a smirk as Dustclaw awkwardly tried to shuffle away from Brambletail, as the overly-talkative tom chatted his ear off about one thing or another. He silently believed it was payback for Dustclaw catching them in the lake a few moons ago. Cloveclaw, Fallenpaw's mentor finally trotted over to the group, and Shadowstar turned to him with an eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry I took so long, I was cleaning out Yarrowleaf's nest," he explained, bowing his head in shame under the leader's calculating gaze. 

Shadowstar chuckled warmly and placed a tail across Cloveclaw's shoulders. "Don't worry about it, I know how Yarrowleaf is," he purred, and Cloveclaw brightened up at that, flashing his leader a bright smile before going to stand next to Brambletail. Shadowstar drew his gaze across every cat in a quick sweep, and then beckoned them closer with his tail. 

"Now, who's ready to go to the Gathering?" He asked, eyes sparkling as he watched the Apprentices spring to their paws.


	6. Chapter 4

Swiftpaw had never seen so many cats in his life. They milled about below him, stopping to chat or to touch noses in greeting. Elders lounged around together, sharing stories of when they were young and still rambunctious. Some Apprentices grouped together, showing off battle moves or just joking around. 

With the sight of so many bodies, Swiftpaw suddenly felt scared. A warm pelt brushed against his, and he glanced over to see the tall form of Icepaw looking down at him. "Don't worry, you'll be alright," he assured, touching his nose to the younger tom's head. Swiftpaw made a sound of thanks, and then waited for his leader's signal. 

Shadowstar glanced back at his cats once more, and then silently, he flicked his tail. They all raced forward, Warriors breaking off to go and speak to friends from other Clans with warm meows and greetings. Swiftpaw was glued to the spot, however, as he continued surveying the clearing, worrying about where he should sit. He spotted Icepaw and Shrewpaw squished together, weaving through the crowd to a tussle of Apprentices on the far left. 

He leaped down the hill, and, keeping a sharp eye on them, made his way towards his two social friends. The scent of all of the different Clans were mingling together, clogging his nose and enveloping his senses completely. Cats' conversations grew louder and then distant as he quickly moved past them, and he couldn't help but catch certain snippets- none that were intriguing enough for him to stop completely. 

He finally reached the other Apprentices, letting out a sigh of relief. His brother stood on a short stump, standing tall, seeming to be speaking to all of them. Icepaw stood beside him, nearly a head taller than his friend. Fallenpaw was sitting, grumpily, on the dirt beside the fallen tree. Shrewpaw then turned as he caught sight of him, letting out a loud meow in greeting. Swiftpaw hurried to his side, ears flicked back and head down in embarrassment. "And this is my brother, Swiftpaw!" Shrewpaw announced to the gaggle of young cats, placing a paw around his shoulders and pulling him closer. 

Swiftpaw glanced up, scanning the group and smiling awkwardly. "Hullo," he peeped, cringing at how tiny his voice sounded. A multitude of faces stared back at him, some wearing scowls, some smiling in greeting, and one-

"Hi there! I'm Troutpaw!" A young tom greeted, leaping forward, his nose almost touching Swiftpaw's. The black and white tom stumbled back in shock, ears flattened to his head. Troutpaw didn't seem phased by his reaction, still grinning widely, tail straight in the air confidently. Swiftpaw managed to regain his composure, smiling awkwardly back at the fidgety Apprentice. "Hi, what Clan are you from?" He asked politely, paws twitching from where he wanted to run away. 

"Well, I'm from LichenClan, and I'm gonna be a Warrior really soon- my sister," he pointed towards a long-haired silver tabby- "is Riverpaw." The she-cat looked up at the sound of her name from where she talked in low whispers to another gray Apprentice. Troutpaw beckoned her over, and she got to her paws, stopping to whisper something into the gray apprentice's ear once more before trotting over. 

"Yes, Troutpaw?" She asked, a tinge of annoyance lacing her voice. "Sorry for interrupting your talk, but, I wanted you to meet my friend!" He mrrowed, giving a little jump in glee. Swiftpaw turned to face the silver tabby, bowing his head respectfully. "Hi, I'm Swiftpaw," he greeted, looking up to see a kind face looking down at him. "H-Hi, I'm Riverpaw," she murmured back, seemingly shy. Yes, someone like him! But... He thought he was even worse at conversation. 

Troutpaw shot a look at his sister, and she met his gaze, nudging him harshly when she saw his face. The tom only laughed, which showed Swiftpaw that this was normal behavior for the two siblings. Swiftpaw couldn't help but smile, reminded of he and his own brother. Troutpaw turned his bright gaze on him once more, tail flicking happily. "Look, a real smile! That's what I like to see!" He purred, shoving Swiftpaw affectionately with his paw. Swiftpaw couldn't help but laugh, feeling a little more comfortable in his own pelt.

A long-haired tom who was sat nearby turned to the Apprentices, annoyance practically radiating off of his pelt, green eyes narrowed. "Be quiet! The Gathering is about to start!" He hissed, red fur prickling along his back. Swiftpaw looked down at his paws in embarrassment, pelt hot and feeling like fleas were jumping along through it. How had he not noticed that all the cats around him were beginning to grow silent? Had they all glanced at him in disdain?

"Alright! Sorry we didn't notice," Troutpaw mewed, a hint of something negative in his voice despite the polite smile he wore. He turned to Swiftpaw, bending down to whisper into his ear. "Someone's got burrs tangled in their fur," he snickered, glancing at the reddish-brown tom out of the corner of his eye. Swiftpaw couldn't help but giggle, hiding it behind a paw.

The two silently turned to face the stage, a giant oak tree with wild roots and hanging branches standing tall, moonlight shining through the leaves. The Medicine Cats sat below the tree among the roots, ears pricked and silent. He glanced up and finally saw the leaders. There, a sleek gray tom, who he noticed looked strikingly similar to the gray Apprentice sitting next to him, was laughing and joking with Swiftpaw's own leader, Shadowstar. To their right, a tinier, lithe she-cat with curly white fur sat quietly, staring down at the cats below. On the final branch stood a large gray tabby, his leg held at a strange angle. 

Swiftpaw turned to Troutpaw, a question on the tip of his tongue. The gray tom seemed to know what he was about to ask, for he answered before Swiftpaw had even opened his mouth. "That tabby is Finchstar, he's the leader of PineClan. One of his back legs is paralyzed- but don't let that fool you. He's still a strong opponent in battle!"  Swiftpaw cringed, wondering what pain the leader had to have gone through to lose control of his leg. It didn't make him seem any less regal, though, the leader stood with his broad head held high, whiskers twitching.

"If Shadowstar and Stonestar do not mind, Sheepstar and I would like to begin the Gathering," Finchstar yowled, voice cool. The two leaders mentioned turned to him, dipping their heads. "Yes, of course, Finchstar," Shadowstar replied. "You may begin."

The muscular tabby mewed his thanks before stepping forward on the branch. Swiftpaw panicked a moment, fearing the leader would slip up on his faulty hind leg. But the PineClan leader obviously knew how to handle it, paws steady and showing years of practice. "Cats of all Clans! Greenleaf has been good to us all, but Leaf-fall will soon be upon us. Despite the weather turning, I have some good news. We have 3 new Warriors," he announced, eyes warm as he gazed down at his cats. "Redfur, trained by Waspsting, Haypelt, trained by Amberskip, and finally, Lichentail, trained by Softstep. They have trained Moons to become Warriors, and passed their assessments with flying colors." 

The three cats stood tall, and Swiftpaw noticed the red tom from earlier was one of them, eyes bright, though he seemed a tad embarrassed. Swiftpaw joined in the crowd cheering their names, even Redfur, despite his annoyance with them earlier. He was probably just antsy about being announced as a Warrior. 

When the cheering died down, the white she-cat, Sheepstar, stepped forward and Finchstar respectfully dipped his head, stepping back to let her through. "CloudClan patrols have scented Rogues near the Horseplace. They are not from the cats who live there. These are new, possibly hostile cats. They have strayed over the scent lines a few times, but there have been no sightings. Cats should be alert," She yowled, every cat staring at her with full attention now. 

Rogues? That cannot be a good thing...

"Now on to better news. We have a new Medicine Cat, Jaywhisker! He has trained hard to learn and speak with StarClan, and heal his Clanmates. I believe he will do well as a full Medicine Cat of CloudClan." Once again Cats yowled the name of a skinny gray tom with large ears, he stood tall and proud, tail straight up in the air. As he sat down, a large brown and white tom lapped a quick tongue around his ears, seemingly praising Jaywhisker. The gray tom thanked the other, smoothing out his chest fur in embarrassment.

Swiftpaw's attention was tossed back to the CloudClan leader when she spoke once more. "I cannot stress enough how much LightningClan should watch the Horseplace from now on- if they really are Rogues, who's to say they aren't traipsing about your territory as we speak?" She dipped her head to Shadowstar. "If they begin to bother you, you should report to me. I would like to know who has been entering my territory." And with that she stepped back, leaving the cats below her mind's to race. 

Shadowstar finally stepped forward, expression grim with the news of the unwanted visitors. "Thank you for sharing this information with us, Sheepstar, LightningClan will keep a more watchful eye on the Horseplace from now on. There isn't much to announce, but two young Apprentices are soon to be made Warriors. LightningClan will have many new Warriors by the end of Leaf-Fall," he meowed, voice soothing and kind. Swiftpaw felt a spark of excitement. He was going to be a Warrior before the end of Leaf-Fall!

Shadowstar stepped back, allowing the LichenClan leader, Stonestar, to take his place. 

"Hello Cats of all Clans! I hope everyone has had a wonderful Moon," he rallied, attempting to break through the solemnity that had set after the mention of potential enemies. "LichenClan has had bountiful prey, and two Apprentices are soon to be Warriors in just a few Moons." Troutpaw and Riverpaw fidgeted beside Swiftpaw. "Besides that, there isn't much to report! I hope LightningClan and CloudClan get through this Rogue situation!" He purred, kindness present throughout his speech. 

"That's my dad!" Troutpaw whispered into Swiftpaw's ear, purring when the other Apprentice turned to him in shock. "No way!" Swiftpaw stage-whispered, green eyes wide in shock. Troutpaw nodded, mrrowing in laughter. 

Wow... how cool would it be to be the Leader's son...

Cats were dispersing, breaking apart from their friends to rejoin their Clanmates. Leaders greeted cats here and there, but mostly kept with their cats, waiting for everyone to regroup. Troutpaw nudged him and looked up, and Swiftpaw saw that Stonestar was headed right for them! 

He felt a flare of excitement and fear alight in his belly, mixing to make a confusing feeling. The leader was a bit taller than him, with wide set ears and muscles rippling under his pelt. He had thick, well-groomed fur, a bit of a belly hanging beneath him. He held a kind smile on his face, and had a welcoming aura about him. 

"Hello, Troutpaw And Riverpaw, who's your friend?" He meowed, turning to face Swiftpaw. Swiftpaw gulped, feeling like ants were crawling through his pelt as he faced the leader. "I'm S-Swiftpaw," he managed, cursing his stutter as he said his name. Stonestar smiled encouragingly, waiting patiently as he spoke. 

"Well, nice to meet you Swiftpaw! I'd have to guess you're from... LightningClan!" He replied, sniffing the air for show. Swiftpaw was sure he could tell off the bat what clan he was from. But, Swiftpaw only nodded in response, smiling awkwardly. 

"Hey, Swiftpaw!" A voice called from behind him. He turned, seeing Heatherpaw waving him over, brown tabby pelt a few shades lighter in the moonlight. The black and white Apprentice turned back to the leader and his new friends, dipping his head in apology. "I have to go, my Clanmates calling me. But it was nice to meet you all!" He purred, raising to his paws. Troutpaw grinned at him. "Was nice meeting you too, Swiftpaw! I have a feeling we're gonna be good friends!" 

Swiftpaw smiled warmly at him, feeling that what he said was definitely true, though he couldn't explain why. 

He left with a few more goodbyes, glancing over his shoulder to see Troutpaw staring after him.

Huh, LichenClan cats are nice... 

He met up with the rest of the LightningClan Apprentices, meowing and sharing accounts of tonight's experiences. He felt warm, but he couldn't stop thinking about Troutpaw and Riverpaw. He had finally made some new friends, and he liked them a lot.


	7. Chapter 5

As soon as the cats returned to Camp after the Gathering that night, Shadowstar was bounding towards his den, Duskfall at his side. Cats who had fallen asleep waiting for the rest of their clan to return dragged themselves from their dens, yawning and moving about groggily. They asked questions about the Gathering, alarm or nerves shocking them awake when they heard news of the Rogues. Swiftpaw sat next to his brother, feeling excitement coursing through his veins, keeping him from feeling as tired as the cats surrounding him.

"What do you think Shadowstar is gonna do about the Rogues?" Shrewpaw asked from where he crouched next to Icepaw, gaze fixed on the Leader's Den. "Probably just send out more Patrols, that is, if CloudClan is telling the truth," Heatherpaw meowed, bushy tail flicking back and forth behind her. Swiftpaw felt a flash of annoyance at his friend's words. "Why wouldn't they be telling the truth? It seems a silly thing to lie about," he shot back, sounding more defensive than he meant to be. 

Heatherpaw turned to him with wide eyes, ears flattened. "I wasn't saying they were for certain! We just can't always trust the other Clans, it's just how it's always been, Swiftpaw," she defended, neck fur bristling. "I-I know that! It's just dumb how no one can even trust when we are trying to help one another, it's stupid," he trailed off, head drooping as he realized his friends didn't think similarly to him. Shrewpaw nudged his shoulder affectionately, gaining his attention. "Hey, I get it, but we can't just trust them blindly," he murmured, attempting to cheer his brother up. 

Swiftpaw nodded solemnly, still not satisfied.

It was silent for a few more moments until Fallenpaw snapped the tension with a loud yawn. 

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep, night, bee-brains," Fallenpaw broke in, arching her back in a long stretch. 

A chorus of goodnight's followed her as she padded away, and Swiftpaw watched her until she finally slipped into the Apprentice's Den. His mind still felt awake and full of life, but his paws felt like lead, weighing him down. He tried to ignore as the exhaustion slowly creeped through his limbs, but as the moon climbed in the sky, he finally gave in. 

"I'm going to head to bed, goodnight," he yawned, stumbling to his paws. His friends looked just about dead on their paws as well, heads sagging and eyes blinking closed. "You all should come, too," he urged, tail swishing behind him. He heard some grumbles of disagreements or excuses, but he wasn't going to have it. "To bed with all of you!" He meowed, trying his hardest to make his voice sound commanding. 

"Whatever, mom," Heatherpaw purred, standing up nonetheless, and nudging the dozing form of Shrewpaw that had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Swiftpaw's brother awoke with a start, muttering something incoherent as he jumped to his paws. "Time to go to the Den," Icepaw soothed, brushing his long, white tail down his friend's side comfortingly. Shrewpaw only nodded, now leaning his weight onto the older tom. They stumbled towards the Den, talking quietly, Shrewpaw slurring some of his words in his exhaustion.

It left only him and Heatherpaw. He now felt a sense of awkwardness hanging in the air, they stared at each other for a long moment before both opened their mouths, stammering out something. "Oh, sorry! You go first," Swiftpaw insisted, beckoning her with his tail. "No, no, you can!" She whirred, pelt more fluffed up than normal in embarrassment. "Fine, I will. I'm sorry for getting angry with you earlier, Heatherpaw, it's just sometimes I think the Clans should be closer..." he trailed off, realizing how controversial his statement was. 

To his surprise, Heatherpaw was listening to him intently, head tipped as she took in his words. He thought she wouldn't have even wanted to hear it. 

"No, no... I understand. But the Clans being separated actually benefits us all! There's never too many cats on certain patches of land, so prey is always plentiful. But, I see the appeal of no fights, thats something any cat could do without," she replied, white paws shuffling as she searched for the right words. "Anyway, want to pretend like nothing happened and stay amazing friends as we always are?" She purred, switching to her goofy persona. Swiftpaw rolled his eyes but nodded, touching noses with his friend before they made their way to the Apprentice's Den, both joking happily along the trek. 

That night, Swiftpaw slept as soundly as ever, not even worried about the potential danger that could be lurking just outside LightningClan territory.


	8. Chapter 6

The next morning, Swiftpaw was woken by a nip to his tail. With a yelp, he jumped to his paws, glaring at his attacker with teeth bared. Staring back at him was his own brother, Shrewpaw. He couldn't believe this betrayal. He whacked his brother lightly, stepping back quickly before the other Apprentice could retaliate. 

"What's your problem?" Swiftpaw hissed, annoyance at being woken up at an early hour shrouding out the love he had for his brother. "Your tail kept getting in my face," Shrewpaw responded, sounding just as grumpy as Swiftpaw felt. Swiftpaw scoffed, rolling his eyes, before stalking out of the Den. Honestly, why is Shrewpaw such a nuisance?

He glanced at the preypile, stomach grumbling in agreement as he surveyed a fat cardinal on top. He crept over, snatched the red bird off the stack, and lay down in the shadows. He made quick, clumsy work of removing the feathers, impatient to just devour the juicy meat already. As he tore into it, he surveyed the clearing, catching movement from the Leader's Den. Suddenly, Shadowstar pushed his way through the vines covering the entrance, speaking to the Deputy, Duskfall. 

He pricked his ears, aiming to listen in on what they were saying. He was far away, so he couldn't catch everything, but what he did find was not as interesting as he was hoping. "Yes, I'll send a Patrol that way," Duskfall meowed, dipping her head to her larger, gray-furred Leader. "Thank you, Duskfall. Oh- and could you make sure the first few Patrols have more cats? Just in case there really are rogues and they choose that time to attack," Shadowstar requested, picking a squirrel up from the preypile where Swiftpaw had just been.

He didn't catch Duskfall's response, but he was sure it was an agreement. Because, what cat in their right mind would ever disrespect the wishes of their Leader? 

As he contemplated this thought, he was startled by a body colliding with his. He yowled in surprise, thrashing around as his attacker nipped his neck lightly. He was pushed onto his back, eyes still wide as he realized he was now face-to-face with Heatherpaw. "You Mousebrain!" He hissed without heat, rolling his eyes with a smile. He noticed the brown tabby was literally emitting excitement, fur a bit more fluffed up than normal. 

"What is it?" He asked, wiggling around as he attempted to get free. It seemed it was no use- Heatherpaw was much larger than him. 

"Today's my Warrior assessment!" Heatherpaw screeched, And Swiftpaw recoiled as his ears began to ring. Still, he attempted to be supportive despite his pain. "That's amazing! I know you'll do great!" He mrrowed, smiling warmly, feeling pride for his friend tinging his heart in a way that made him purr. Heatherpaw leaped off of him, racing around in a tiny circle, energy like electricity sparking through the air. He got to his paws, watching with a grin as Heatherpaw continued to ramble. 

Then, he heard approaching pawsteps— quickly approaching pawsteps. "Oh StarClan," he grumbled. 

Icepaw bounded over to him, leaping and knocking him over once more. "I'm gonna be a Warrior!" The white tom cheered.

Redbird, a reddish-brown tom, sat nearby, and he rolled his eyes at the display. Crowtail, Icepaw's mentor, shuffled over to him, laying his entire weight on Redbird's back. "Stop being such a grump all the time, they're excited," he chastised. Redbird chuckled warmly, attempting to bat at his mate with a large front paw. "I know, I know. Remember how you were when you became a Warrior?" Crowtail shook out his puffed-up pelt. "Shush! We don't speak of that!" He cried over-dramatically, placing his small paws over Redbird's mouth, 

Redbird knocked him off, and the two began a friendly scuffle.


End file.
